The Tale of A Man Who Believed That His Reincarnation Had Granted Him A Japanese Sword And The Greatest Battle Sense, Only To Have The God Finally Inform Him "Huh, I Didn't Give You Any Combat Sense… That's Scary…" - Episode 45

“What do you mean Jin and the triplets were attacked?”

“The witch’s staff storage was completely covered in cold magic. Something rampaged inside the building, and all four of them were injured. That’s all I’ve heard… I’m sorry, Enri! I’ll use teleportation magic to send you there—please go save them!”

I had just repelled the white flesh that had transformed into my own shape when Circe burst into the room. She was in a complete panic, and her words were disjointed, but her distress made one thing clear—Jin and the triplets were in danger.

It was likely that Angelica was the one who attacked the witch’s staff storage in Redinbara. Before she left, she mentioned she couldn’t use teleportation magic. She must have found an alternative method and headed there immediately.

“Circe, aren’t you coming with me? If someone attacked the staff storage… you should come too. It could be the Grand Witch of this world.”

Circe’s face stiffened. She slowly lowered her staff, which she had been preparing for a chant, and closed her eyes, deep in thought. Before she could say anything, I spoke from the heart.

“Circe, please. I might be able to defeat whoever did this on my own, but if Jin and the triplets are injured, I can’t help them alone.”

“You might think you have no right to face Jin and the triplets because of what you’ve done. But if you don’t go back to where you belong now, you’ll regret it for the rest of your life.”

Circe had her own struggles—ones only she could understand. Neither the me who had been with Princess Sakura nor the me who had lived a normal life in modern society could fully grasp her pain. But I knew this—if she didn’t make a choice now, she would forever regret not making one.

“Enri… Do you really think… I deserve to see them again?”

“Meeting the ones you love—your family—should never be about whether you deserve it or not.”

I reached out my hand to her. She clenched her teeth, her body trembling as she took my hand. Then, with shaky steps, she firmly planted her staff into the ground and chanted.

“εμφανίζομαι—Emfanizome.”

At Circe’s words, the scenery shifted from an empty wilderness to the familiar city of Redinbara. We had teleported right in front of the witch’s staff storage. It was a place I had returned to countless times since living on my own, but something was different.

The first thing I saw was the front door, its metal parts melted and lying in ruins outside. Beyond it, the inside of the shop was covered in frost and ice, like the inside of a massive freezer. Even from outside, I could see several bodies with crushed heads sprawled across the floor.

“Jin! Arche! Telos! Logos! Are you okay?!”

Circe rushed inside, stumbling in her panic. Seeing her run in so recklessly, I hurried after her, hand on my sword.

As we entered the tavern on the first floor, a piercing cold filled the air. Bl00d had frozen on the icy floor, and there were knights with crushed heads lying dead. Jin and Lyra were completely encased in ice, while Telos and Arche were frozen near the back door, unable to move.

I hadn’t expected to see Lyra here, and the sight shocked me to my core. Calling out to Jin and Lyra, I ran toward them.

Circe stood frozen for a moment, staring at the ice-covered shop. But then, biting her lip, she sprang into action, placing her hands on Jin and Lyra and chanting a spell.

“ζεστασιά—Zestasia.”

As Circe touched the ice, warm steam rose, and the ice slowly melted. Jin and Lyra, freed from their frozen prison, collapsed into our arms.

“They’re unconscious but alive! Enri, keep them warm!”

I nodded and ran upstairs to grab some blankets, placing them over Jin and Lyra. As I did, Jin slowly opened his eyes.

“…Circe?”

Even though I was right next to him, the first thing he saw was Circe healing Arche. Her expression, filled with motherly warmth, turned to Jin.

Circe smiled—her face full of joy and sorrow, as if she was about to cry yet still happy. Their eyes met, and without needing to say anything, they spoke at the same time.

“It’s been a long time, Jin… I’m sorry it took me so long to come back.”

“Yeah… I just wish you’d picked a more peaceful time to return.”

It was clear that the spell altering Circe’s memory had been powerful. But even stronger than that magic was Jin’s love for her.

Perhaps, seeing me—a man from the same world as Circe—had awakened his buried memories of her leaving.

A small “Ah!” escaped from Telos. As if remembering something important, she turned to Circe.

“Mom? …Mom! Mom, Mom!”

“…I’m sorry, Telos. I was sad, and scared, and weak… I couldn’t bring myself to come back. Forgive me…”

Circe removed her glowing hand from Arche’s face. The healing seemed to be complete, and Arche slowly opened her eyes.

Without hesitation, she threw herself into Circe’s arms, burying her face in her robe.

“Mom! I tried my best! I was brave! But… but Logos was taken away by a scary person!”

“I see, I see… You did well, Arche. You’re my daughter, the eldest sister—I knew you’d be strong.”

Circe knelt, embracing Arche and Telos. Jin placed a hand on her shoulder. Watching them, I felt like an outsider, yet I could barely hold back my tears.

Arche had said that Logos was taken by a “scary person.” It had to be Angelica. I couldn’t be sure why she took Logos, but I had no doubt where she was headed.

She was seeking revenge on the two who ended her reign.

That meant she was going to the arena, where the final battle would take place.

Circe let go of Arche and Teros, then turned to me.

“Enri… The one who took Rogos…”

“I know, Circe. She’s at the arena. Don’t worry—I’m going to save your family. And…”

A thought crossed my mind—one I couldn’t prove but couldn’t ignore. When I cut down that monstrous white flesh, I had felt as though I severed the force binding it.

If I could cut through the power controlling someone… then maybe I could separate Angelica’s soul from Utsuho’s body.

There was no guarantee that Utsuho would return. But after what happened to her because of me, I had to at least try.

“I’m heading to the arena now. Circe, are you coming?”

“I can’t, not yet. I need to see if I can revive the knights… and if the Grand Witch is there, I’ll need to be at full strength.”

Circe spoke briefly with Jin, Arche, and Teros before they moved deeper into the staff storage. Then she pulled the unconscious Lyra toward the fallen knights.

“I’ll teleport you right in front of the arena. As soon as I finish here, I’ll follow. …I’m counting on you, Enri.”

“Leave it to me. I promise—we’ll all live happily together again.”

Circe placed a hand on my arm and began chanting the teleportation spell.

I looked at Lyra one last time.

If my only goal was to protect her, I should stay here. But because she gave me a chance to live in this city, I found people I cared about.

“If I had stayed with you, this tragedy might never have happened… but because you let me live my own life, I found something worth protecting.”

I took a deep breath.

“I’m going, Lyra. I’ll be back—with Utsuho.”

Circe finished her spell, and in an instant, I was standing before the arena.